{"id":1810,"date":"2018-03-14T13:30:49","date_gmt":"2018-03-14T13:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildff.org\/?p=1810"},"modified":"2018-03-14T13:30:49","modified_gmt":"2018-03-14T13:30:49","slug":"5-years-50-leaders-connected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildff.org\/5-years-50-leaders-connected\/","title":{"rendered":"Five years, 50 leaders connected"},"content":{"rendered":"

FIVE YEARS, 50 LEADERS CONNECTED: THE FINAL YEAR OF OUR FUTURE LEADERS PILOT PROGRAM IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST<\/h3>\n
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\u2018The program has allowed me to learn from the experiences of other local leaders, and has taught me that nothing is impossible if you work together\u2019 – Cecilia Borde Quispe, Future Leader and ecotourism graduate<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In our final year, we reached an exciting milestone: <\/span>50 young leaders are now connected through the Future Leaders program.<\/span> Many of them are already working in sustainable development and joined the program to bring their innovations in business, food systems and energy directly to the rainforest to benefit the environment and local communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Future Leaders 2018 group<\/p><\/div>\n

For its second consecutive year, the Future Leaders program was hosted in the Las Piedras Amazon Center, in the heart of the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon. From 14 -18 January, 15 past participants of the Future Leaders program returned to the jungle to further develop skills in sustainable business, conservation and marketing. <\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, we were able to diversify the student group more than ever! Four indigenous leaders from the Lucerna community in the Las Piedras region were able to join the weeklong event to discuss ongoing threats to their Amazon watershed and other barriers to sustainable development. Students from the Forest Online class at McDaniel College, Maryland – where Jason teaches environmental policy and sustainability full time – also joined this year\u2019s program, many of them setting foot in a rainforest for their very first time.<\/span><\/p>\n

With so much cultural difference between the 30 young people they were a bit shy at first, but this nervousness quickly melted as they realized their shared love of nature and the desire to create a better future for the Peruvian Amazon.<\/span><\/p>\n

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McDaniel college students playing volleyball with young people from the local community<\/p><\/div>\n

Telling the story of the biodiversity capital of the world<\/span><\/h2>\n
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\u2018A leader is someone that has a creative mind, is constantly innovating, and is always open to exploring new paths and ideas\u2019 – Ana Amable, Future Leader and Founder, Grupo Amable<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The theme of the final year of this five-year pilot program was storytelling, so participants worked together to bring the story of Madre de Dios and its current challenges to life through media campaigns. This project enabled the participants to develop skills in intercultural communications, public speaking and storytelling – all valuable tools in developing pitches and drawing attention to important issues. Raising awareness of the importance of Madre de Dios, the “biodiversity capital of the world,” is vital if we\u2019re to save the incredible wildlife that lives here and conserve the natural resources for people to rely on well into the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Future Leaders participants presenting their storytelling campaign<\/p><\/div>\n

As in previous years, the participants spent as much time as possible exploring the jungle around them and went on a number of botany and ecology walks led by resident expert Varun. They were lucky to experience the magic of a big group of macaws gathered at the local clay lick, who ate their fill of clay – a dietary supplement that neutralizes the toxins in their food – before taking to the skies in a blur of color.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Red and green macaws at the clay lick<\/p><\/div>\n

It was so rewarding to see these inspirational young people putting what they have learned over the past five years into action. This year, some of our Future Leaders played invaluable roles behind the scenes. Vanessa Soto coordinated marketing for the program in Peru, and Ana Amable and Tania Romero – inspired by the storytelling theme of this year\u2019s Summit – are putting together a Future Leaders “look book” to tell the story of the program, its participants and their region.<\/span><\/p>\n

Engaging with locals and learning from change agents<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Innova network has gone from strength to strength, not just because it now involves well over 50 young leaders, but also as they\u2019re very engaged in sustainable development and are keen to learn from each other. One of the new participants this year, Julio, who is an indigenous leader from the local Lucerna community, invited participants to visit his family and learn how to make sustainable chocolate, which was really fun and exciting! They also visited Roy, the chef from <\/span>last year\u2019s program<\/span><\/a>, who has just opened his own restaurant in Puerto Maldonado and had hosted a real celebrity for lunch earlier that day: the Holy See Pope Francis!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Roy the chef and Liz in his new restaurant, Puerto Maldonado<\/p><\/div>\n

As well as inspiring sessions taught by Jason and Liz in sustainability and business, there were opportunities for participants to connect with change agents – amazing people who have been working in Peru for over 15 years for social good. In a series of TED talks, the participants learned about policy, ecology and social governance from the following Future Leaders guest educators:<\/span><\/p>\n